[REVIEW] Thor

Randy and I went and saw Thor on the weekend in 3D (not my choice - it was the only thing available at the Camrose theatre). I didn't write down my thoughts right after, so I may not remember a lot about it, but I'm gonna do my best.

Going into the movie, I knew next to nothing about Thor. I knew the he is the Norse Thunder God, and that his father is Odin. That's about it. I knew nothing about the "super hero" version of him. I knew nothing about the movie - other than the fact that it looked good, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings were in it and that Kenneth Branagh was directing it. I didn't even realize that Anthony Hopkins was playing Odin.

I was generally very satisfied with the film. Asgard was absolutely beautiful - the animators and designers did such a wonderful job with it - Jötunheim (I had to look up how to spell that) made me feel cold just looking at it, and earth...well, it was earth, wasn't it? Nothing special about it, it looked like your every day town, except for where Mjollnir (had to look that one up too) landed. Which, I think, is also perfect.

The costumes, props, etc. I think were also all very beautiful and fitting for the sets. The Frost Giants were especially cool. They seemed to me to be almost made of solid blue rock, which made their red eyes especially creepy.

From a directing side, I was a bit worried about Kenneth Branagh directing an action flick, but it was needless. I loved his vision, the only thing that I was a little "meh" on, was the 3D. The film was directed as a 3D film, it was directed as a 2D film. There was nothing in it that made the 3D spectacular, or even needed. The 3D did nothing but take away from the film. It made the fight scenes, which would have been epic without the 3D seem like nothing spectacular because when I go see a 3D film, I want things flying at me. Whether it be blood, or weapons, or pineapples, I don't care as long as something gets thrown towards me. Or, if that doesn't happen, I want to be able to feel like I could step into the world. I want to feel like if I walk towards the screen, I should be able to peek around the edge of it into the world. I didn't feel that either. But that's not uncommon. One of the only films that I've seen in 3D that utilized it really well was Avatar.

As a rule, I thought the actors - especially Stellan Skarsgard (who is one of my favourite actors ever) and Anthony Hopkins - did a good job with their characters. The only two I really didn't like were Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings. Natalie Portman's portrayal of the character seemed very stock, but at the same time over exaggerated. Nothing was really that interesting about her portrayal of her - and maybe that was just the character itself, but she seemed like she tried to make it more interesting by over playing everything a little too much. I was really surprised at how much I disliked Kat Dennings in this role - I loved her as Nora in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, but every time she opened her mouth I wanted something to hit her over the head. I wanted the Destroyer to fry her. I have a feeling that maybe she was cast for a larger role and they had to cut a lot of her scenes, so that could have a lot to do with it, but still. I shouldn't want one of the "good guys" to explode into a ball of flames every time they speak.

But all in all, it was an enjoyable film. It was beautifully shot, I loved the magic/science, and let's face it, Thor being shirtless was a definite bonus in this one.

Going Home

It's strange to me how much I can miss my parents after being home for a weekend. I went home this past weekend for my grandma's garage sale - we cleaned out the main floor of her house so that my sister could move in, and there was a lot of stuff. I should have taken a picture, but it filled up the entire community hall - about 22 tables, I think. Plus stuff on the stage. But anyway. I went home to help with that on Friday, and I haven't talked more to my entire family in...well a really long time. We had no distractions there except for each other - no tv, no computers, no books. It was just us, the people coming by, and the merchandise. So we talked a lot. And wow, do I ever wish I was still there. I had a fantastic weekend with them. It was exhausting, sure, and slow and/or boring at times just sitting there with nothing to do, but it was fantastic all the same.

We sold probably half of the stuff there, which is pretty damn good, I think. Especially considering we didn't have many people come on Sunday. And especially because so much of it was just old and not very...well, useful. So we left with a lighter load we went with. I think Kelly and mom and dad want to have another one later in the summer with the stuff in the garage, basement and lean-to in it as well - because there is still a lot of stuff to go through and find a new home for.

Reunions

I wrote this last night at 11:30 after I got back from Edmonton, from my beloved mentor, Gail Sidonie Sobat's, book launch for her new book "Chance to Dance for You."

I just got back from Gail's book launch and oh my goodness I can't believe how much I've missed her. I barely got to talk to her, but just being able to be in the same room as her, and see her, made my heart ache a little bit. When I lived in Edmonton I saw her quite regularly because I was part of SWYC, which she is the director of. But now that I live in Red Deer, which is too far to drive to be part of SWYC anymore, and  I don't get to go up to the city as often as I'd like, I rarely see her. Gail is one of those magical people that just...she's almost indescribable. She is the reason I am how I am, really. Well, her and Jo and Hank and John. But she most of all, because I actually know her, you know? She is the one who created YouthWrite, she was the first person to really accept me for me, and show me that it was okay that it was okay to be me. She showed me that it was okay to write, to be crazy if I wanted to, or quiet if I wanted to. YouthWrite was when when I first started coming out of my shell. It was the first time I felt like I belonged somewhere, and that is all because of her - she accepts everyone, no matter who they are. In a lot of ways, Gail saved me - from years of misery, from loneliness. She is just such an amazing woman, and I need her in my life more. (And I officially only need one more of her books Aortic Caprice.)

SWYC was at the book launch - they performed part of the book. Instead of her reading, she had them perform part of the book, which was so cool. And ohmyjesus as soon as they walked out to perform I had this pang on longing. I should've been up there with them, dammit. I miss them sosososososo much. I really wish teleportation was a thing.

The night was really amazing, though. I got to see Gail, and a whole bunch of friends I haven't seen for nearly a year. I also go to talk to Mark Haroun, who is a YouthWrite supervisor, or was, I don't know if he still is or not, but he's also a writer for Heartland. I talked to him about the industry, and it was really amazing. We had a great little conversation while waiting to get our books signed by Gail. I told him that I was a tech, and that I wanted to make movies, and that I was doing Bard on Bower this summer. It was so cool. Haha, and I have a story, actually. We were talking about how much we loved bookstores, and I mentioned that when I bought "Matched" I read 5 chapters before I realized what I was doing and had to go buy it. I didn't mention the name of the book and he asked - teasingly -, "Was it Harry Potter?" Apparently I'm obvious to even people I don't know well. I mean, I wasn't even wearing an HP paraphernalia or anything! It was the best.

My only regret of the night is that I forgot to get a picture with Gail.

I've also decided that I need to start writing every day. I really really do. Let's see if I can do it.

Edit: I've created a work out blog so that maybe I'll be more accountable with my gym "dates" - check it out if you want to be super bored.

Discovery Wildlife Park

Cutest baby monkey ever? I think so!

Yesterday morning I went to Discovery Wildlife Park with my brother and nephew. It was really quiet at first, not very many people. The weather was nice, a perfect temperature with enough breeze to (hopefully) keep the mosquitos away. (Turns out, it didn't, I have about a bajillion bug bites) There was a tiger show, which we watched a bit of, but Kale got bored so we continued wandering around. We saw wolves and elk and kodiak bears and black bears and grizzly bears and reindeer and a badger and a raccoon and squirrels and porcupines and monkeys and a jaguar. The monkey's were my favourite, and where we spent the most time, I think. There were probably a dozen in the habitat, including two babies.

Watching the monkey's interact was really amazing. There was one point where one of them started to bouncing on this branch that was leaned against a tree so that it bounced into the air. It was like he was using it as a trampoline. And then there was another time when one of the other monkey's tried to take the baby monkey from the mother. Ohhhh she did not like that. The monkey's screams were so so loud and high pitched. Watching her protect her baby made me really think that we must be part of the same species. I mean, I know from facts about evolution that we are, but just seeing her protect her baby at all costs, made me really realize it. The way she pulled him to her, hid him and lashed out, it was very human. It's really fascinating how we are so interconnected to each other.